Mary Hopkin
The ethereal-voiced Welsh folk singer discovered on a talent show who gave the Beatles' Apple label its first smash hit with the nostalgic 'Those Were the Days.'
Born 1950 (age 76)·Welsh singer·Birthday: May 3·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mary Hopkin's voice, a clear and haunting soprano, seemed to float in from another time, perfectly capturing the late-60s moment of folk-pop yearning. Born in Pontardawe, Wales, in 1950, she was a teenage folk singer when model Twiggy saw her on the British talent show 'Opportunity Knocks' and recommended her to Paul McCartney. She became one of the first signings to the Beatles' Apple label. McCartney himself produced her 1968 debut single, 'Those Were the Days,' a melancholic adaptation of a Russian folk melody that soared to number one in the UK and became a global phenomenon. While often defined by that smash, Hopkin's subsequent work revealed an artist seeking more control, recording albums of folk and singer-songwriter material, including the McCartney-produced 'Post Card.' She consciously stepped back from the pop spotlight in the mid-1970s, focusing on family and occasional musical projects, leaving behind a brief but indelible signature on the psychedelic era's softer side.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mary was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Mary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her debut single "Those Were the Days," produced by Paul McCartney, was the first major hit for the Beatles' Apple Records label.
- "Those Were the Days" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.
- Represented the United Kingdom in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing second with "Knock, Knock Who's There?"
- Released the well-regarded folk-pop album 'Earth Song, Ocean Song' in 1971, showcasing a move toward more personal material.
Did You Know?
She was discovered after model Twiggy saw her perform on the TV talent show 'Opportunity Knocks' and told Paul McCartney about her.
She turned down the opportunity to record the song "Come and Get It," which McCartney then gave to Badfinger; it became a hit.
She is married to renowned record producer Tony Visconti, who has worked with David Bowie and T. Rex.
She provided backing vocals on several tracks for David Bowie's 1977 album 'Low,' produced by her husband.
“Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end.”
